Music & Dance

Tired of strumming your guitar alone in your basement or garage? Ready to take the next step and start playing with others? This class will provide students with a low pressure, non-judgmental opportunity to experience the joy that comes from making music with other people.

We will focus primarily on acoustic guitar-based music, but other acoustic instruments such as mandolins, fiddles, bass & harmonicas are welcome, as are people who would like to try singing with a group.

Students should have a solid understanding of their instruments including tuning, basic chords and rhythm patterns and be willing to work in small groups with other musicians. The ability to accept constructive feedback from an instructor is also important.

This class is designed for those who are either rusty or who have never played. Don’t worry if you can’t read music.

Participants will learn to play basic chords that will allow you to join in on simple songs. You will become familiar with the parts of your guitar, “open” chords, finger placement, different genres of music and much more. Soon you will be strumming along to your favorite music!

Have you ever wanted to learn the guitar, but simply find it difficult to find the time? In just a few hours you'll learn enough about playing the guitar to give you years of musical enjoyment and you won't have to take private lessons! This crash course teaches some basic chords and will get you playing along with your favorite songs right away.

Topics include:

how chords work in a song

how to form the three main types of chords

how to tune your guitar

basic strumming patterns

how to buy a good guitar

and how to play along with simple tunes.

Bring your acoustic guitar to class.

Required materials fee of $29.00 for workbook and practice DVD is payable to instructor at the class.

You don't need years of weekly lessons to learn piano. In just a few hours, you can learn enough secrets of the trade to give you years of musical enjoyment. How do we do it? While regular piano teachers teach note reading, piano professionals use chords. And you can learn all the chords you'll need to play any song in this one-evening. Any song. Any style. Any key. If you can find middle C and know the meaning of Every Good Boy Does Fine, you already know enough to enroll in this workshop.

Required materials fee of $29.00 for workbook and practice CD is payable to instructor at the class.

Do you sing in the car, by yourself? Love music but hesitant to sing in front of others? It's time to get beyond all that and make a joyful noise! In this class, participants become an instant choir – beginning with the simplest forms of duet improvisation and harmonic possibilities.

Large group, small group and solo-opportunities will be offered. This class is not about songs – it is about singing! Martin Swinger, accomplished vocalist and musician, leads you safely and gently through vocal warm-ups, vocal techniques, hitting pitch and breath control, dealing with stage fright and into creative singing games!